The Cartographers’ Guild is a forum created by and for map makers and aficionados, a place where every aspect of cartography can be admired, examined, learned, and discussed. Our membership consists of professional designers and artists, hobbyists, and amateurs—all are welcome to join and participate in the quest for cartographic skill and knowledge.

Although we specialize in maps of fictional realms, as commonly used in both novels and games (both tabletop and role-playing), many Guild members are also proficient in historical and contemporary maps. Likewise, we specialize in computer-assisted cartography (such as with GIMP, Adobe apps, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.), although many members here also have interest in maps drafted by hand.

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Hello Everyone

Hello everyone!

I've been lurking here for a few days and decided to post an introduction. As you can see, my screen name is Wilduck (pronounced Wild Duck), but I can also go by Ducky or Erik.

I've been using the gimp for a couple years, but have only recently gotten passably good at it. I looked through some of the tutorials here, and have already learned a lot. I've also just recently started making maps, and realized that I'm not very good at it.

So, I'm joining this forum with the hopes that I can learn a thing or two, and eventually contribute. Thanks everyone for the great site.

If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)

Thanks guys. Before I loose my newness here, I'm going to ask a quick question (It'd be great if someone could tell me where a question like this would belong in the future as well).

The mapping I'm planning on doing is for tabletop games, and so a lot of the maps need to have a 1"x1" grid on them. I've looked around a bit but haven't seen a tutorial or explanation of how to easily do this with gimp. If such a tutorial exists, could someone point me to it? Thanks so much.

Edit: I know that I would put this grid in a separate layer, organizing the rest of my layers so it shows through in the correct places and whatnot, I just don't know how to draw the grid, and make sure that it would be 1"x1".

Thanks guys. Before I loose my newness here, I'm going to ask a quick question (It'd be great if someone could tell me where a question like this would belong in the future as well).

The mapping I'm planning on doing is for tabletop games, and so a lot of the maps need to have a 1"x1" grid on them. I've looked around a bit but haven't seen a tutorial or explanation of how to easily do this with gimp. If such a tutorial exists, could someone point me to it? Thanks so much.

Edit: I know that I would put this grid in a separate layer, organizing the rest of my layers so it shows through in the correct places and whatnot, I just don't know how to draw the grid, and make sure that it would be 1"x1".

Note sure what version you are on, but on mine (2.6.x), Add a new Transparent layer. Then Filters->Render->Pattern->Grid

Welcome, and see how quick it is to get answers here. I will give rep to jfr for that.

BTW: To get it 1 in that usually means 1" = 5ft which is 1:60. So you will have to draw your map to a fixed scale so that say 200 pixels is 5ft then its a 200 pixel grid to apply. Lots of pre-made icons come in fixed scales so look out for stuff you want, see what scale they are in and design the map to be that scale. If your making all your own stuff up then ensure that whatever tokens you create are high enough res so that any map at highest res has token detail. Then you will have to scale tokens down on a per map basis depending on your desired map scaling.

If you were aiming to print that map for tabletop play then I would go with 300 pixels per 5ft real world and scale up/down all stuff to that.